Healthy Vision in the

Workplace

Produced by the American Optometric Association

Healthy Vision in the Workplace

• Eye safety statistics• Types of eye hazards• Types of eye protection

Eye Safety Statistics

• According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), every day nearly 2,000 U.S. workers sustain job-related, vision threatening eye injuries that require medical attention.

Eye Safety Statistics

• Approximately 60 percent of workers with eye injuries in a Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) study were not wearing the proper protective eyewear at the time of their injury.

Types of Eye Hazards

• Foreign bodies• Eye Strain• Ultra-violet radiation

Foreign Bodies in the Eye

• The BLS study reported that 94 percent of the eye injuries which occurred while a worker was wearing protection were caused by sparks, debris or chemicals striking the eye from around or under the protective shield.

Foreign Bodies in the Eye

• Nearly 70 percent of the eye injuries reported in the BLS study came from flying debris, sparks and small objects striking the eye.

• Most of the objects were smaller than a pin head.

Protective Eyewear

• Protective eyewear needs to be properly fitted to be effective.

• Training employees on the proper use of protective eyewear can reduce workplace eye injuries.

Protective Eyewear

• Safety Glasses• Goggles• Face Shields and Helmets

Safety Glasses

• Safety glasses may look like normal eyewear, however they are designed to provide much more protection.

Safety Glasses

• Lenses and frames are much stronger than regular glasses and are constructed to prevent the lenses from shattering or being pushed toward the eyes.

Safety Glasses

• Those working in an area that have the danger of small particles, flying objects or dust should have the wraparound-style of safety glasses or use side shields.

Goggles

• Goggles with polycarbonate or Trivex® lenses are highly impact resistant and provide protection from dust and chemical splashes.

Goggles

• They cover a large area around the eyes and protect against hazards from any direction.

• Goggles can be worn over prescription glasses and contact lenses.

Face Shields & Helmets

• These secondary protectors do not provide adequate protection alone and should always be used with primary eye protection devices such as safety glasses and goggles.

Eye Safety in the Workplace

• Employers are required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to provide face and eye protection to workers at risk for job-relatedeye injuries.

• Eye strain is the most common eye problem for those who use computers frequently at work.

Eye Strain

Eye Strain

• Computer use requires specific vision skills that require additional demands on the visual system and contribute to eye and vision discomfort.

Eye Strain

• Ocular motility• Accommodation• Vergence

Eye Strain

• Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is the complex of eye vision problems related to near work that are experienced during or related to computer use.

• The use of hand-held devices such as ‘smart phones’ and PDA’s can also cause eye strain.

Eye Strain & Hand-held Devices

Prolonged usage of these devices may lead to a host of issues:

• Eyestrain• Headaches• Burning or tired eyes• Loss of focus• Blurred or double vision• Neck & shoulder pain

Eye Strain & Hand-held Devices

Ease the Strain

• Give it a rest• Size up• Sharpen up• Reduce glare

Ease the Strain

• Look down• Think blink• Diet and nutrition

Ultra-Violet Radiation

• Exposure to the sun’s ultra-violet (UV) radiation can damage the eyes.

Ultra-Violet Radiation

• Non-solar sources of UV radiation include:

• Arc welding• Curing of paints and inks• Disinfection of equipment in hospitals

and laboratories

Ultra-Violet Protection• Wear protective eyewear any time the eyes

are exposed to UV rays.

• Choose quality sunglasses that block out 99 -100 percent of UV radiation and screen out 75 – 90 percent of visible light.

• Clear lenses can be treated with a coating to protect eyes from UV.

New occupational tasks can result in new vision needs.

• A change in one’s job tasks may require different focusing abilities. This is especially true for workers over 40 years old, whose eyes are susceptible to presbyopia, a natural loss of focusing ability.

Eye Safety at Home & Play

• Many people are conditioned to wear protective eyewear at work, but forget to wear it at home and during recreational activities such as:

• Yard work• Hammering• Wood working• Grinding• Playing sports – baseball, hockey, golf

In Conclusion…

Eye safety in the workplace is proven to prevent loss of vision.

To further ensure healthy vision be sure contact your optometrist to schedule a comprehensive eye

exam.

Questions?

Thank You!